Oh gawd, you got me, then damned top secret TSE engine recipes.
Release date?

 

Went to check on my car today again. I have some unknown ratio of antifreeze and water. Last week it got down to -10C/14F and nothing burst so I guess there's at least 20% antifreeze in there, right?

Still starts like **** but the battery is a champ! Just cranks and cranks and cranks and cranks.

 

I've had nothing but horrible luck getting my **** started that cold on E85. To be honest i go back to gasoline in the winter just for that reason. I cannot get my car started at less than 8-10F even on gasoline. Not sure what the problem is.

I'd start with the timing advance per water temp map, then to the fuel enrichment map per water temp. I'm running a .029 spark on stock coils which is what i'm pointing my finger at.

 

What do you guys have for crank angle sensor? Stock 4 tooth? I have noticed the 36-2 even on wasted starts crazy quick. Body that has a local shop that works mostly on miata for the last 15+ years (eunos.ca) says he has never seen a BP start so quick and this a race engine!

 

I have a 36-1 trigger wheel. It syncs fast but the engine just doesn't want to catch with cold E85.

 

I already mentioned this elsewhere, but putting 1 gal of pump gas into the tank with full tank of e85 seems to help out very significantly, and doesn't have a ton of impact on other things.

 

So reading on other cars having issues with E85, it seems to be that the cars are not getting enough air. Can you try and add more air (idle valve perhaps) on start ups?

 

that didn't help at all when I tried it

I honestly don't think there's a real "fix". maybe I'm wrong. ethanol hates cold starts, period.

 

Perhaps this can somehow be translated to Megasquirt: E85 Cold Start Issues addressed. - Subaru Impreza WRX STI Forums: IWSTI.com

Are you running AEM? (never mind, your sig says ms3/3x)

 

Add more fuel. For a certain temperature and MAP a certain percentage of the fuel evaporates when the injector shoots. Only the evaporated fuel ignites. If you were to find the values graphed for both normal gas and e85 you'd see how little E evaporates at these low temps. You need to throw a whole dickload of e85 into the car to generate enough e85 vapor in the combo chambers to get combustion.

 

I've been messing with e85 cold start for ever on the Miata and while its much better now, its still not perfect.

Weird too because on my forester it was flawless. Started each time, rock solid.

I'm applying the same basic approach, not sure what I'm missing.

 

I didn't put any fresh fuel in the car in the last 3 months. I technically can't drive it at the moment because its not VA inspected (soon...)

Adding a boat load of fuel is the way to go

 

Unfortunately that doesn't work as if you read that link they point out that it's a fine line with E85.

18psi, I wonder if it is due to the design of the Forester's boxer engine and the long runners.

 

Yes obviously there's a point where its either too saturated or you could even hydrolock. Thats why you work your way up to it.

The foz, like my wrx does have the injector maybe an inch further from the valve which could help, the runners also look a whole heck of a lot bigger. The combo chamber is also probably better shaped, the air all moving around in the combo chamber certainly helps the atomization.

 

Perhaps folks whats your cranking VE settings?

 

I get the feeling that Vlad's interpretation of "cold starting" is much, much different than mine.

I'm planning on running E85 in both my cars in the future, but no way I could run it during Ohio winters. My car barely starts on regular 93 octane in -15F

 

Yeah, my definition of "cold starting" is being able to start the car every 1-2 weeks in Winter just to warm it up and keep all the fluids going.

Thats all.

Anyways, I got a Skunk2 throttle body. By mistake I bought the 94-97 version and had to contact Skunk2 support directly to get the 99-05 parts (really just a plate and gaskets to mount the idle valve)

 

I wonder if it's all in the priming pulse/cranking enrichment. You don't want to fuel outside of starting.

I think the wear on the motor starting it every two weeks is significantly higher than the wear just parking it for the winter and starting it at the end. Why put yourself through that?

If you're so worried, mail me turbo and manifold and I'll keep them whetted during these 72 degree weeks.

 

I'm not sure what codebase you're on with the MS3, but it might be worth trying one of the pre 1.3 alpha's.

They have some cold start settings which may help, i.e. simultaneous injection rather than sequential on cranking. a cranking enrichment taper which allows you to give a massive shot of initial fuel but then quickly taper away.

Apologies if I'm teaching you to suck eggs.

 

Actually that's a valid point, thank you.

I'll have to look into it. I think I'm on some 1.2 version now